ORANGE COUNTY, CALIF. – Their paths could only cross in the amateur leagues of the United States. Sure, similar types of player groupings have happened in places like New York, Chicago, Miami and Dallas, but this one is unique to Southern California.

Three dynamic attacking players with remarkable strength, speed and skill, and each with an incredible story – Harold Hanson, Philip Hephzibah and Ebrima Njie have given Real Sociedad O.C. (13-1-2 overall) a SoCal Premier League-leading 68 goals through 15 matches this season.

“We know we have a lot of pace when it comes to the attack,” Njie said. “I’m enjoying every moment of it, the goals (and) the family that we have together. It’s always a pleasure playing with such great talent.” All three were in the lineup and contributed as Real Sociedad O.C. earned a 1-1 draw in a cup semifinal against Worldwide Problems FC on Saturday, April 26.

HAROLD

Hanson grew up in Ontario, Calif. and played for FC Golden State as a youth player. He went on to attend and graduate from Ontario High but was so well regarded that he chose to not play on the school team.

Signed by Portland Timbers 2 in 2017, Hanson bypassed the MLS’ modern academy structure and quickly made an impression with the club, earning a call-up to the Timbers first team for their Open Cup match later that spring.

He made 78 appearances with Timbers 2 from 2017-’20 before the team ceased operations.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, Hanson played in 2022 with Albion San Diego in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), scoring one goal in 19 appearances. He bounced to Central Valley Fuego in USL League One in 2023, adding another professional goal in 21 matches.

Hanson, 25, has played off-and-on with Empire Strykers in the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) in his hometown of Ontario since 2023, and with Real Sociedad O.C. each of the last two MASL off-seasons.

“He’s been kind of in-and-out and all around the leagues,” Alexander said. “He plays with us when he can.”

Hanson is currently not under contract with any professional team, but Alexander said he expects him to return to Real Sociedad O.C. later this year.

PHILIP

Hephzibah has had scouts’ attention for years now. Crazy part is, even at 6-foot-5, 195 pounds, Hephzibah, 24, catches the eye until you blink and miss him. So incredibly fast that he has to slow down at times to play even the fastest-moving passes, Hephzibah runs past defenders and intimidates goalkeepers. “I feel like the people (at Real Sociedad O.C.) want it as much as I do. They want to win,” Hephzibah said. “The talent is there, and being around such talented players is just amazing.”

Born in Chelsea, England to Nigerian and Ugandan parents, Hephzibah’s family came to Los Angeles and he played for a number of youth programs, including L.A. Spartans Wolves. Set up to go on a professional tryout at The New Saints FC in Wales in the days before the world shut down in March 2020, Hephzibah still uses the near-miss as motivation. “It was one of the many unfortunate circumstances of COVID, that I didn’t get to go on trial,” Hephzibah said. “But I had a coach who wouldn’t let me just sit around, and I didn’t let that moment slow me down.”

He played three years and graduated from Animo Leadership High in Inglewood, Calif., and has led Santa Monica College in goals each of the last two seasons. “Here, you have to go through school to get to the next level,” said Hephzibah, a Junior College All-American in 2024. “There’s the MLS draft and different combines, while back in England you go through the club system of academies and the main team will either buy you from the academy or release you.”

He’ll enter as a junior at Concordia University in Irvine, Calif. on a full scholarship, and play for the NCAA Division II program this fall. “Hopefully, after two years I get into the MLS draft or go overseas and into someplace in Europe,” he said.

‘EB’

Ebrima Njie already is the all-time leading goal scorer for Real Sociedad O.C. Born in Gambia in West Africa, Njie immigrated to the U.S. at 16, landing in Moreno Valley, Calif. He played at and graduated from Valley View High before matriculating to San Bernardino Valley College. “That’s when I started playing in the SoCal Premier League,” Njie said. “We played a 10-game season with I.E. Republic and were top of the league, and then I met Earl (Alexander).”

Since then, Njie has started nearly every match at center forward for Real Sociedad O.C., taking up space on the left or right as play develops, making the right pass at the right moment and leading nearly every attack. He also scores goals at a pace that makes him the SoCal Premier League’s leader (22 and counting this season) and one of the nation’s best at the elite amateur level. “With the individual talent that we have this season, it makes it easier,” Njie said. “We can really exploit the weaknesses of our opponents with the players that we have.”

A registered nurse at Loma Linda University, one of the nation’s leading trauma hospitals, Njie still would jump at a chance to play professionally. “If I had an opportunity, I would definitely pursue it,” he said. Njie, 26, has poured in 65-plus goals over the last three years with Real Sociedad O.C.

THE CLUB

Real Sociedad O.C., or the Royals, were founded by Tony Chavez and have been a member of the SoCal Premier League since the 1990s. A Cal State Fullerton alum and former L.A. Blues (now Orange County SC) player, Alexander rose to Royals manager midway through the 2010s after playing for the team’s Over-30 side. “This team was going on way before I came to the U.S.,” said Alexander, who was born Derby, England. “But I’ve been here a long time, too, so now I’m the old guy.”

A top-of-the-table team for much of its existence, Real Sociedad O.C. won the Raul Briones Cup in 2017, has reached numerous cup semifinals and is a mainstay in the SoCal Premier League title race. “We’ve been competitive every season, No. 1 or No. 2, and we won the Under-23 Division two years ago,” Alexander said. “If it wasn't for the soccer community we've built and Tony (Chavez), I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing. Tony is a big part of it and the core.”

On April 26 against Problems FC, one of the nation’s top up-and-coming teams and a national amateur league finalist last season, Real Sociedad O.C. overwhelmed early but allowed a late goal. “There’ll always be some hiccups along the way,” Alexander said. “We’ll always have one of those days. There’s always variability, The soccer gods, you cannot control them.”

Out of the Briones Cup after losing the second leg, Real Sociedad O.C. also came up short in the race for the SoCal Premier League Division One title, losing out to Hacienda Heights-based La Familia FC by four points. The dream of raising a trophy now again is deferred until next season. “We want to do it for Earl,” Njie said. “He brings the talent together.”

Until then, their paths will diverge once more.

- by Dennis Pope